Hawaii car insurance requirements and laws

Minimum car insurance requirements

Hawaii doubled its minimum liability limits on January 1, 2026. Every new or renewing policy with an effective date on or after that day must carry at least 40/80/20, replacing the old 20/40/10 (HRS § 431:10C-301, as amended by Act 138 of 2024). Hawaii also continues to require $10,000 of personal injury protection. Compare states with the state car insurance requirements lookup.

The Insurance Division says the old minimums had not kept pace with medical and repair costs. It estimates that doubling limits may raise premiums by about 25% on average for drivers who had carried the old minimums, with individual results varying by driving record, vehicle and claims history.

What the minimums mean in practice. Suppose you cause a crash and the other driver's injuries exceed the no-fault threshold, with $60,000 in damages beyond their own PIP. Your 40/80/20 policy pays $40,000 for that person, and the remaining $20,000 can be pursued from you. If you hit a $30,000 truck and total it, your $20,000 property damage limit leaves $10,000 uncovered. how much liability coverage do you need? can help you choose higher limits.

Fault system and what it means after a crash

Hawaii is a no-fault insurance state. After a crash, your own PIP pays your medical and rehabilitation costs up to $10,000, regardless of who caused it. You can sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering only if the injury crosses Hawaii's threshold (HRS § 431:10C-306):

• the PIP benefits you incur reach $5,000 or more (a monetary threshold); or
• the injury causes death, significant permanent loss of use of a part or function of the body, or permanent and serious disfigurement.

Vehicle damage is outside the no-fault system: it is paid by the at-fault driver's property damage liability or your own collision coverage. See no-fault vs at-fault states and tort threshold.

When a lawsuit is allowed, Hawaii applies modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar (HRS § 663-31): you can recover as long as your negligence is not greater than that of the people you sue, and your damages are reduced by your share. Actions for injury or property damage generally must be filed within two years (HRS § 657-7). See statutes of limitations for car accident claims.

Optional coverage worth considering here

• Uninsured and underinsured motorist. UM is included at your bodily injury limits unless you reject it in writing, and insurers must offer UIM. Hawaii prohibits stacking UM/UIM across vehicles unless you buy the stacking option insurers must offer (stacked vs unstacked uninsured motorist coverage). The Insurance Research Council estimates about 9.6% of Hawaii drivers were uninsured in 2023, below the national 15.4%. See uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explained.
• Higher PIP. $10,000 can be used up quickly after a hospital stay or a medical flight between islands.
• Collision and comprehensive. Salt air, flooding, falling branches, hurricanes and theft are real risks, and shipping parts to the islands can lengthen repairs (comprehensive coverage explained, rental reimbursement coverage).
• An umbrella policy if you have significant assets (umbrella insurance: liability protection above your auto policy).

What drives rates in Hawaii

The NAIC puts Hawaii's average annual expenditure at $888 in 2023, well below the national average of $1,282. Those figures predate the 2026 limit increase and blend all policy types, so they are not quotes (What NAIC auto insurance data measures).

Lower speeds, short driving distances and a relatively low uninsured rate help keep Hawaii's costs down. Pushing the other way are Honolulu congestion, high repair costs on islands where parts must be shipped in, and the 2026 increase in required limits. Rates also differ between Oahu and the neighbor islands (Why your ZIP code changes your car insurance price).

Penalties for driving uninsured

Hawaii treats driving without no-fault insurance seriously (HRS § 431:10C-117):

• First conviction: a $500 fine. The court can suspend it if you show current insurance, or allow 75 to 100 hours of community service instead.
• In addition, the court must either suspend the driver's or registered owner's license for three months, or require the person to keep a nonrefundable policy in force for six months.
• Later convictions within five years: a fine of at least $2,000 and a one-year license suspension, or the prepaid-policy alternative.

See penalties for driving without insurance.

SR-22 and high-risk drivers

Hawaii can require proof of future financial responsibility, usually an SR-22 filed by your insurer, after serious violations or license suspensions, and the county driver licensing office will tell you how long it applies. SR-22 insurance explained explains the process. Drivers turned down by standard carriers can look to nonstandard auto insurers: who they serve and what to watch or the state's assigned risk plan.

Insurers with a strong presence in Hawaii

National carriers dominate Hawaii's personal auto market. GEICO, State Farm, Progressive and Allstate all write statewide, and USAA is a major option for the islands' large military community. Local and regional carriers also operate in Hawaii, so ask an independent agent to quote them alongside the national names (captive agents vs independent agents vs buying direct).

Where to get help

The Hawaii Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs regulates insurers and handles complaints. Call 844-808-3222 (1-844-808-DCCA) or 808-587-6714, or file a complaint at cca.hawaii.gov/ins. The office is in the King Kalakaua Building, 335 Merchant Street, Room 213, Honolulu, HI 96813; mail goes to P.O. Box 3614, Honolulu, HI 96811. See how to file a complaint against a car insurance company. For an injury claim or a dispute over the tort threshold, consult a licensed Hawaii attorney.